PL/CTCSS Codes

[Fence_Judge]

Hi

I'm new to the hobby and all advice and assistance is gratefully appreciated.
The info. I'm after here is; Is there a handheld scanner available that will not only display the frequency but also the PL/CTCSS code of the frequency being received?

 

[mikey60]

Hi

I'm new to the hobby and all advice and assistance is gratefully appreciated.
The info. I'm after here is; Is there a handheld scanner available that will not only display the frequency but also the PL/CTCSS code of the frequency being received?

Most modern scanners will do this, although there are some exceptions to that rule.

Mike

 

[Fence_Judge]

Mike thanks for getting back to me.
Can you suggest some reasonably priced scanners as I'm not loaded! Are the Unidens any good? And, if you can answer, what should I look for in the decsription/specification, that tells me it will display the CTCSS

 

[Highpockets]

Hi

I'm new to the hobby and all advice and assistance is gratefully appreciated.
The info. I'm after here is; Is there a handheld scanner available that will not only display the frequency but also the PL/CTCSS code of the frequency being received?

It would help the users here if they knew what State, County and Town you lived in, so they can see if you will need a analog or digital scanner, it may say you money in the long run.

 

[Fence_Judge]

Highpockets, many thanks for pointing out my stupidity. I was just going to change my profile to let people know.

I'm actually in the UK and looking for CTCSS codes in the VHF range with my GP340.

 

[Highpockets]

Highpockets, many thanks for pointing out my stupidity. I was just going to change my profile to let people know.

I'm actually in the UK and looking for CTCSS codes in the VHF range with my GP340.

Now that you supplied that info, I'm lost for words! I'd say look in the database but, I don't know if the CTCSS codes are displayed for the UK. Someone will guide you in the right direction!!!

 

[Fence_Judge]

The CTCSS codes are the same in the UK as the US so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Highpockets]

The CTCSS codes are the same in the UK as the US so that shouldn't be a problem.

Here is a link to the Uniden Scanners, you can read up on each model and see which one meets your needs. It will tell you if it decodes CTCSS, etc.

Uniden Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[Fence_Judge]

Highpockets, many thanks, but.... although it may be able to decode the CTCSS, how do I know if it will display the CTCSS codes?

 

[OsloViking1975]

I may be wrong but let me try to give it a shot. For example on my Pro 106 lets say I want to program in a conventional channel. So I put the frequency in and so on. next I can scroll down to my
Sq Mode: and set it to CTCSS then below that is
CTCSS Hz:Search, I can leave it as search and will search until it finds the tone or whatever or I can set to the tone if I know it. But if you leave it search mode it will try to find the correct tone and it will show up on my display.

 

[Highpockets]

Highpockets, many thanks, but.... although it may be able to decode the CTCSS, how do I know if it will display the CTCSS codes?

I can only speak for the Unidens I own, the BC780xlt and the BCD996XT will display it, and the BC785D will also if you don't assign an aplha tag to the frequency. I don't want to guess on the other models.

 

[juskorfus]

If you want a simple scanner for starting out and do not need digital (P-25 systems), try the Pro-164 from The Shack. It is a great 1,000 channel scanner and has CTCSS/DCS decode/scan and even when I had programmed a 450-460 MHz LTR trunked system, I got the logic channel order wrong (actually it was put up here on RR by someone that got it wrong and missed a couple freqs), but the scanner actually stopped an gave the logic channel order # on the display. I regret selling it to get my BCD-996XT and BCT-15X. But plan to grad another off ebay or somewhere soon. Even with the BCD-396XT, the PRO-164 is a great second portable and even has 2 battery packs, one for rechargeable and one for alkaline batteries. And you can scan multiple systems, I even had a Moto Type II Hybrid 140 MHz military system in it (they have gone to the P-25 380 MHz South-East DOD system now), but it does Moto I/II/II hybrid as well as EDACS and LTR trunking as well as conventional. Like I said, a perfect starter scanner!
Hope that can help someone, more help than I had, I had to buy crystals when I first started, and at $5 a crystal (frequency), scanning was not cheap back in the day!